1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to carbon capture and more particularly to polymer-encapsulated carbon capture capsules that tolerate precipitation of solids for increased capacity.
2. State of Technology
Carbon dioxide capture from flue gas and other industrial gas sources is optimally conducted today using liquid sorbents in which a base (e.g. MEA, potassium carbonate, buffers such as phosphate or borate, or ammonia) is dissolved in water at high concentration. The efficiency of these systems is limited by the amount of base that can be dissolved, limiting the carrying capacity of the resulting fluid. As carbon dioxide dissolves in the liquid sorbent, an additional limit can be reached in when solid precipitates form as a result of the increased carbonate concentration. The presence of precipitated solids results in system clogging, erratic capture behavior, and difficulty in the regeneration of the liquid sorbent (typically done in a steam stripper requiring uniform contact between the liquid and the steam).